Overwhelming. THE feeling before a room makeover. What if you could do it in only 3 steps? It’s no wonder that companies exist to help you do a makeover in your home. Unless you win a complete living room set from The Price is Right, putting together a chic, cohesive space can be daunting. And exhausting. And something that you might do right after that next root canal.
After doing my own living room makeover, I knew there was a better way. I narrowed the entire process down into 3 simple steps. That’s all you need to go from “Gah” to “Glam”.
Yes – I knew (not like it was hard to see) that my living room space felt too “heavy” and “dark” and (yes, mom…) “cluttered.” I wanted (er…desperately needed) a lighter, fresher vibe. With the help of Soft Surroundings (did you know they have THE best-curated home section? Take a peek here) I made it happen. Finally.
3 Steps: Living Room Makeover
Step 1: What’s the end goal?
Start with the end in mind, first.
- What do you need to makeover?
- Are you changing the overall vibe? The colors? The crowdedness or emptiness of the space?
- How will you use the space after the makeover?
- Entertaining? Relaxing place after work? Kid-friendly but also sophisticated? What?
- What colors and textures are you drawn towards?
- Figure out your color palette.
- The BEST way to do this is to take a trip to a hardware store. Take a trip to the paint section. Look at all the paint swatches. What color strip cards give you a happy inner peace? You’ve found your color scheme.
- Figure out your color palette.
Step 2: Shop
Shop, but don’t get out your credit card…yet.
- Add all to your (virtual) shopping cart.
- Helps get the ball rolling on what you are loving…
- Use tips from the post HERE (on 1st steps to a living room refresh).
- Know what to look for when adding items to your cart. Even though you’re not “buying” (yet)… you still need to think through your selections.
- Create a vision board from the items you “shopped”.
- If you added items to your cart, you must find something about them favorable. Start arranging them onto a vision board to see how they work together – or don’t.
Step 2: Find a Focal Point
Where does the eye go in your new space? Like, is your eye currently is ping-ponging all over the place? You need to fix that ASAP.
- Pick a few pieces to display.
- A mix is best.
- Choose 1 or 2 items from each of the following categories:
- travel memorabilia (special pieces purchased on a trip or discovered while in your favorite vacation spot)
- current interests (maybe some books on a favorite topic)
- eclectic items (something from your grandparents or even a unique container or decorative accent)
- unique finds/conversation starters (fab finds from a flea market).
- Create a vibe, not a museum.
- Only showcase a few items of your interests. One or two shares your personality, more than four items of one theme in an area becomes a slippery slope to hoarder-ville.
- Minimize to maximize the goal of your space.
- Reducing the clutter (aka chotchkies) to bring out all the feels of the new space.
Before & After Photos…
Feeling fab with my living room makeover… and curious about your tips!
*This post is sponsored by Soft Surroundings, but all opinions expressed here are my own.
I think a few pops of color can go a long way. I have been meaning to do that in my living room for a while now.
That’s so true! It’s awesome how Soft Surroundings makes it easier to redecorate your living room. You should totally check them out! I’m sure you’ll find pieces that you’ll love.
You were able to squeeze out more space after the makeover. You did a great job. I’ll use this tip to make my place a lot more pleasant to look at.
Thank you so much for appreciating it! It’s really awesome how much Soft Surroundings has provided me with all I need, from the blankets, glass side tables, to the faux flowers! Love it!
I love how this turned out. We do need more color in our living room. At some point I’d like to re-do it. We need new couches!
You have a cute kitty by the way!
Thank you so much!!! If you ever decide to redecorate, I’m pretty sure you’ll find awesome items in Soft Surroundings. It’s where I got most of the pieces to decorate the room with.
Aww, thanks, Moxie’s a superstar!
Looks more light and airy over the before picture. What make you happy and comfortable is the most important. Using the glass coffee table and shelving makes it look totally different. Great look.
YES! That’s definitely what I was aiming for when I was shopping for items in Soft Surroundings, they really helped me achieve the decor I wanted. Thank you so much for appreciating it!
Your made-over room looks so much brighter than it did before. That blanket looks so very soft and cozy, I think I’d really like that.
Thank you, that was the goal! I love it too, I fell in love with it the first time I saw it in Soft Surroundings! It’s one of my favorite pieces!
What a huge difference. The use of natural sunlight and fewer items in the room really opened it up and make the room look much more spacious. Great job! Looks absolutely beautiful!
RIGHT?! Definitely loving the natural lighting. It really has changed how the room looks overall. I also loved the pieces that I got from Soft Surroundings because they made the room look even more cozy!
That paint color alone did wonders for really lightening up the space. It all looks so amazing.
Yes, it definitely changed the vibe of the room! It brought more life to it as well. Thanks so much!
Love the transformation and layout of this living room makeover. The color scheme is so pretty.
Thank you so much! I really enjoyed redecorating our living room and Soft Surroundings made it easier for me to achieve the look that I want!
These are smart tips to make over any room. I like the idea of picking a few special pieces for display! We actually need to make over the bedroom.
Thank you so much! Yes, the few pieces will definitely make a huge difference when you’re decorating. I hope you got a few tips from me. Also, Soft Surroundings has awesome pieces which I’m sure you can use on your bedroom as well.
I love before and after photos of home improvement projects. The yellow you chose is really nice. Makes the room pop. I love it.
It’s so satisfying isn’t it? I think it’s really awesome how it turned out and I’m completely happy with it. The color definitely added oomph to the room! I just love it.
You did a great job redecorating your room. The wall paint brightens the whole room makes it more spacious. Love it !
Thank you so much! Yes, I love the color for the room, it really adds life to it and brings the decor together as well.
This is fantastic! I’m slowly going room by room and updating. Just went through a moment last week where I let everything go. But, I want to make it more homey 🙂
Thank you! I’m sure you’ll have a fun time decorating even though it feels a little stressful at times. Make sure to check out Soft Surroundings for more items to make your home look cozy!
Such a lovely living room! I think you did an amazing job and it’s awesome that you discovered Soft Surroundings. It definitely makes the whole process easier especially since they have a lot of items to choose from for decor!
Thank you so much! Yes, they have the best items especially when it comes to making the house feel more comfy and cozy!
The shopping part is the best part, in my opinion. You did such a lovely job! One of these days, I’ll get around to redoing mine!
Yes, that’s so true! It’s so much fun to go and look at all the items that are available. I hope you check out Soft Surroundings to see if they have items that you can use to decorate your home!
It’s always nice to see the before and after pictures of a room makeover. I love what you did with yours.
Thank you so much! Soft Surroundings has definitely helped me achieve the look that I was going for.
I can see that you have worked magic. What a transformation. The makeover is so marked and the entire ambience of the room has changed.
Thank you so much, that’s so lovely to hear! Yes, that’s definitely how we feel every time we walk enter the living room, all thanks to Soft Surroundings!
I like the idea of creating a vision board that can enable you to visualize how you want your living room to look. And I like the sound of understanding what exactly you want to makeover whether that be the colour of the living room or the vibe.
That definitely helps with the decorating! Yes, that’s exactly how you create a room that look exactly how you want it. I hope you got some good tips from my post!
That is an amazing transformation. I need to redecorate my living room and this gives me a ton of inspiration. Thanks for breaking it down into simple steps.
Thank you so much! If you’re looking for items to help you complete the look, Soft Surroundings is the perfect place!
It turned out so great! I love a room with lots of natural light coming in. 🙂
Great work on your makeover.